• Regulator demands immediate improvement at a Southport nursing home
The Care Quality Commission has issued a formal warning to the registered provider of Birkdale Park Nursing Home stating that they must make urgent improvements to the standards of care or face further action.
The warning follows an unannounced visit by inspectors to the Birkdale Park Nursing Home, Lulworth Road, Birkdale, Southport, on 23 November 2011 to follow up on a previous review of compliance.
On latest inspection CQC found that improvements requested in May and August 2011 had not been made and the provider was still failing to comply with government regulations covering the management of medicines. Appropriate arrangements for the recording, handling, storage and safe administration of medication had not been put in place. Medicines administered to people living in the home were not always being recorded correctly and it was not clear if some people were receiving their medication as required.
Inspectors found evidence of occasions when residents had been given insufficient doses of medication during the day, and also saw that procedures for storing and documenting controlled drugs were not being consistently followed. In addition, medication stocks were not always being replenished in time to ensure that a continued supply was available.
Since issuing this warning notice, CQC inspectors have received an action plan from the provider detailing how standards will improve, and we will carry out another inspection to check progress.
Debbie Westhead, Interim Regional Director of CQC in the North West region, said: "The law says that these are the standards that everyone should be able to expect. Providers have a duty to ensure they are compliant
“This warning sends a clear and public message that Birkdale Park needs to address this issue as a matter of urgency or face serious consequences.
“Our inspectors plan to return to the home in the near future and if we find that the provider has not made the required progress we won’t hesitate to use our legal powers to protect the people who live there".